Steve, Laurie & Bernie - First Time Fortinieres

You get a long time to think as you tick off the miles from Calais and can’t help wonder whether the reality will live up to the website. Me, Laurie and Bernie have been doing French carping for quite a few years (usually Les too but not this time-20 years trying to convince his wife -keep going Les!). Happy to say, our high hopes for Les Fortinieres were justified - the lake/house didn't look how they did on the tin, they looked better. The gamble to take wives/partners was looking good too, with Sue & Ali going from room to room saying how lovely it all was, a kitchen that Marco Pierre-White would’ve been happy in and two bathrooms that meant no excuses for fishy odours (my committed better half Lauren couldn't make it, sadly, having to stay home to mould her class of 7 year olds into future Alan Sugars/Gangster Rappers/Fishery Owners).
France is rarely easy these days and we arrived to hot sunny weather and the end of spawning when the fish were not especially on the munch. And there was a new problem for us on a fishing trip - pressure from the girls to “stop playing with your rod and those silly bleeper things and come have an ice cold beer in the pool”. Hmmm, being committed, totally focussed carp anglers we of course.…cooled off in the pool and had some chilled beers, until the cool of evening brought the lake alive with some big lumps shouldering and rolling, and the hope of a disturbed night (that's carp, not us after the Tuesday curry nite).
We were not disappointed, the few fish we had in the first days came mostly at night, except for Bernie on the far side who was picking up more daytime fish, but we all caught, and many were 30+. Laurie and I did have the odd daytime fish near the house, including a gorgeous 41lb Grassie which Debbie caught on video - brilliant! Laurie had the fish of the week at night, a lovely 44lb Common.
We slept well between bites, as you do, and despite the noises from the wildlife, including some weighty fish crashing in the stock lake, and Laurie, who was very wild when he lost one at the net. I'm ok with the sound of the Vuvuzelas in the World Cup, that's nothing compared to the noise from 500 frogs simultaneously having sex in the pond behind the house swims (well, that's what Laurie said they were doing and he knows a lot about wildlife) but we soon became immune to that too.
We woke on Wednesday to grey skies and 10c cooler, the wind had swung around and it was more like Blighty than Fortinieres del Sol. Not so great for the girls but with the facilities at LF we comfortably managed a BBQ in rain. The change brought a pick up in the run/fish rate and we were glad we'd followed our earlier instincts and Paul's advice and not piled the bait in. Bernie had a couple more, including 30lb+ and now it was my turn to shout for Laurie during the night - with a 30+ fish just slipping into the net as my other rod went. Needless to say my cries fell on deaf ears and I managed to carefully introduce an upper 20 to its new buddy in the same net. I've never seen such a high proportion of fish that are so mouth and fin perfect, a testament to the care and attention that Paul & Debbie pay to their fishery, and the anglers they attract too.
The sun returned to dry off bivvies etc for the big pack-up but we continued to catch, ensuring wet fishy nets and only a brief stop at customs when the white van is waved over and Mr Officer recoils as the waft hits him when we open the van door.
Paul & Debbie (not forgetting the dogs Jack & Harry(?)) were the perfect hosts, thank you both. We will return, hopefully with my other half Lauren and our other fishing buddy Les.